Improved girder for bridges



,getter Meere-W- DAVID HAMMOND AND w. n. REEVES, Or CANTON, OHIO. Latas raam No. 86,538, dated February 2, 1869. I

IIMPROVED GIRDER FOR BRIDGES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the saine.'

To all whom 'it may concern Beit known that'we, DAVID HAMMOND and W. R, REEVES, both of Canton, in the county of Stark, and State of Ohio, have `invented new and useful Improvements in Wrought-Iron Girders for Bridges and other structures; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of our invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and. to the letters of reference marked thereon, of which drawings- Figure l is a side view of our improved girder, applied to a bridge.

Figure 2 is a half` plan of the same.

Figure is a half plan of the same, as seen from below the bridge` Figure 4 is a cross-section of the same.

Figures 5 and 6 are two forms of cross-section for the arch.

Figures 7 and 8 are plan and section, showing the details of the shoe, with its block and the chord and 'arch-pieces. v D The nature of ouri invention consists in new and patent, whereby we greatly increase the resistance of our arch to any horizontal deflection, and thus greatly increase its strength; and second, in the peculiar inanner of securing the ends of the arch-pieces and chords in the shoes, whereby we greatly lessen the probability of their pulling apart, and thus increase the stability of our girder.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use our improved girder, we will proceed to describe its construction and application,

The arch A of each girder is composed of three principal pieces, B C C, the two arch-pieces C C being formed of channel or L-iron, as shown in iigs. 5 and 6, which are curved to the proper shape, and set up parallel to each other, as shown.

The covering-piece -B is made of heavy plate-iron, and is laid on the top of the two arch-pieces G C, as shown.

The rivets d d, or bolts if preferred, pass through the upper flanges x x, which are formed on the archpieces C C, when they are rolled, and through the covering-piece B, thus irmly binding them together.

The clamping-pieces J J vare made as shown in detail in figs. 5 and 6, and are secured by the bolts k-k, which passthrough them, and up 'between the archpieces C C, through the covering-piece B, and are secured by nuts l l, as shown.

pieces ofuplate-iron, set up parallel to each other, and haverthe heads p p formed on one side at their`ends, as shown in fig. 7. l

They rest at said ends between the arch-pieces D D in the shoe E, the heads 1J p, bearing against the parts fr r of the shoe, as shown.

The arch-pieces G C abut against suitably-formed faces in the shoes E, and a block, R, having a head, as shown, or without this head, if desired, is inserted between the chords D D.

A bolt, s, passes through the sides of the shoe E, the; arch-pieces G C, chords D D, and the block It, thus rmly uniting them together.

It is readily seen that if the block R be made with a head, as shown, and one or more bolts, t, be bolted through the-chords D D and the block R, that the strength of resistance to any tendency of the chords D D to pull out of the` shoe E will be greatly increased, although a good combination of the archpieces, chords, and shoe may be effected Without the use of the `head on the block R, if'the heads p p on the chords D D be made very strong and heavy.

The suspension-rods F are made of thin plate-iron, bent in the form shown by red-dotted cross-section in fig. 4, and have -the bolts c a and ff attached to them, as shown.

The bolts a a, which are attached to the upper part of the suspension-rods F, pass through the irons k, which bear on the lower parts of the arch-pieces C C, thence up, by the sides of said'arch-pieces, through the covering-piece B.

The nutsb b and c c on the bolts c a bind the arch A and the irons k firmly together, and thus serve to aid in the combining of the arch, and to attach the suspension-rods to the arch.

Slots are cut in the lower part of the suspensionrods F, which admit the chords D D, and the bolts f f, at the 'lower ends of the suspension-rod F, pass through the irons Q Q,on which the' chords D D rest, and have the nuts h h, which support the irons Q Q, and thus complete the connectionY between the arch and chords. i

The irons Q Q, have their edges rolled, and holes punched in them, into which are hookedhe braces G G, as shown.

These braces are inserted between the chordsD D, and run into the ringsl? P, as shown.

Other braces, I I, are secured to the arch A by means of eyes mf, formed on their ends, which set between the arch-pieces C C, and are secured by bolts e e, which pass through the arch-pieces C G and the eyes on said braces I I.

The end braces H H are secured to the coveringpiece B, as shown in iig. 1.

The chords D D ofthe girder are formed of two"l l The braces I I run into the rings P P, and, in conconstrncting the suspension-rods nor the shoes E,

nection with the braces G G and posts F F, forni a or chords D D; but

rm trussing against any vertical deflection of the What Weldo claim as our invention, and desire to search. cure by Letters Patent, is-

The horizontal braces M M have eyes formed on l. The peculiar arrangement and combination of the their ends, which are put over the bolts f, under the plates C' C, flanges x x, bolts or rivets d (Z, covering-1 irons Q, and above the nuts h, as seen in iig. 4. piece B, bolt la, and clamping-pieces J, when said The end-braces are attached to the shoes E E, as flanges a; are formed on the plates O Cwhen rolled, shown, and the braces unite in rings N, thus forming and Whether the lower flanges w w are orare not used,

e -Y Y 'frere/YW e far/firm: bracing*against'a'nyYlateralV vibrations of'fthe"Y the several-partsbeingarranged substantially asand bridge. for the purpose herein-speciiied.

The cross-stringers L L are notched down on to the 2. 'The peculiar arrangement and combination of the chords D D, as shown, and the flooring of the bridge arch-pieces C C, chords -D D, with heads p ,fp thereon, may be laid on them in a diagonal manner, to aid in block R, and shoe E, the several partsbeing arranged bracing the bridge against lateral vibrations, or oorsubstantially in the manner and for the purpose herestringers may be laid across these cross-stringers, and in specified. the oom'ng laid in the ordinary manner. As .evidence that we claim the foregoing, we have Having thus fully described the construction oi' our hereunto set our hands, in the presence of two witirnproved girder, we do not hereclaim as our invennesses, this 3d day of March, 1868. tionthe principle of combining the three arch-pieces, DAVID HAMMOND.

B C O by means of the clamping-piece J, clamping- W. R. REEVES. boltk, and nut l, nor the manner of combining the Witnesses: suspension-rods F, braces G G H, arch A, and chords JOB ABBOTT,

D D, vnor the cross-beams L, horizontal or vertical ED. N. BEEBOUT.

bracing M M and G I, here shown, or the mode of 

